About The Role
Job Title: Social Work Manager – Fostering
Hours: 37
Salary: HC11 £49,764 - £54,180 (plus £5,000 market rate supplement per year £54,764 - £59,180)
Welcome payment: £5,000 after 6 months completion in post
Relocation package of up to £10,000 available
Contract: permanent
Closing date: 01/12/2024

Come and join us on our Restorative Journey of Improvement to gain the best for children and families in Herefordshire

The Role

Would you like to opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of children, young people and their families?

If yes, we have the perfect role for you!

We are looking for a full time Fostering Support Team Manager to join our Fostering and Home Finding Service.

This is an exciting time to join the Service.  Here in Herefordshire we are on an exciting journey of transformation and we would like you to be part of our next chapter.  We are an experienced staff group, working together on the development and delivery of a high quality service.  We have made improvements in a short time and the Fostering Support Team Manager is an opportunity to be part of this continual improvement.

We are seeking an experienced and dedicated Fostering Team Manager to lead and promote our Fostering Service, ensuring the stability and growth of our in-house Foster Carer network.

Key Responsibilities:
Actively manage and lead the Fostering Service, driving high standards and positive outcomes for children.
Supervise and support supervising social workers, ensuring effective service delivery.

Develop and implement policies and procedures to maintain and enhance the quality of support provided to Foster Carers.

Work collaboratively with children and families to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Ensure compliance with fostering legislation and regulations, working confidently within a comprehensive statutory framework.

About You:
The ideal candidate will have:
In-depth knowledge of fostering legislation and regulatory requirements.

Experience working with Children and Families, including Looked After Children and Leaving Care, to achieve positive outcomes.

A commitment to delivering high-quality services and the ability to lead and inspire a team.

You will need to have a social work qualification (DipSW, CQSW, CSS or equivalent) and current registration with Social Work England.  You will have a minimum of 5 years’ post qualifying experience (to include 2 years recent experience of fostering social work). 

The Service Manager for Fostering and Home Finding Teams (HFT) will also offer hands on support and mentoring in this role.

If you would like to have an informal chat about the role please contact Adele Odili (Service Manager Fostering and HFT) at Adele.Odili@herefordshire.gov.uk

We Offer
A competitive salary, generous holiday entitlement, and access to our contributory pension and staff benefits scheme, which includes:

• Team Manager starting salary: £49,764 - £54,180 per annum
• Market rate supplement: plus £5,000 per year
• Welcome payment £5,000 for experienced social workers joining our children’s teams
• Relocation packages: support of up to £10,000
• Pension Scheme Enrolment in the Local Government (LGPS)
• Professional development: protected time and budget to support social workers develop themselves and their careers.
• Career progression: clear pathways to progress
• Generous Annual Leave: 31 days’ annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays. You can also purchase an additional 10 days per annum
• Flexible working: flexi-time, job-share, part-time hours and, in some instances, home working
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 access to support and counselling
• Payment of professional membership fees
• Pick your perks – our benefits include access to a range of retail, leisure, holiday and health benefits. This includes savings, cash back and discounts.

About Us
Herefordshire is a beautiful, historic county located in the heart of the Marches on the border with Wales. We are one of the most rural and sparsely populated counties in England with a wealth of unspoilt countryside, distinctive heritage, and lively and attractive market towns.
Our priority in Herefordshire is to keep children safe and give them a great start in life. It’s the priority for the council, our partners and for all of us who work with Children & Young People. 
How do we do this? By having dynamic, dedicated, passionate and professional staff who work in a culture that focuses on what we can achieve with children, what they can achieve themselves, and the relationship we build with families and partners to enable this. We have invested heavily in training and developing staff in our relational practice approach with our improvement partner Leeds City Council, so it's an exciting time to join Herefordshire – we believe in investing in you so you can be the best you can be!
Herefordshire has a really strong team ethos. Our teams are passionate about the work they do and the positive difference they and the teams they are in make to people’s lives. This is all underpinned by the focus and support from their managers and the council as a whole. 
We will deliver better support to our most vulnerable children and their families, develop stronger relationships with partners across the region, and beyond.
Therefore, we take our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults seriously and expect all of our staff, visitors and volunteers to share in this commitment.
Come to Herefordshire and join the journey.
Herefordshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children & young people and vulnerable adults. If you are offered this position, it will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced check and further pre-employment checks.
We welcome applicants whatever their personal characteristics or social identity. All requests for flexible working arrangements and reasonable adjustments will be considered.
The following candidates will be interviewed if they meet the essential criteria for the post they are applying for:

• Those who indicate that they have a disability. This is part of our commitment to the “Disability Confident” scheme;
• Those who indicate in their supporting statement that they are an Armed Forces Veteran or Reservist. This is part of our pledge to support the Armed Forces Covenant; and
• Those who indicate in their supporting statement that they are a Herefordshire care leaver. This is part of our commitment to supporting young people leaving our care. 

Please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification for more details of this role.
To apply, please submit your CV and complete the supporting statement within the application form, referring to the job description & person specification, detailing how you meet the specific requirements of the role.